


Cipher Nine and the Dark Councillor

by RogueScarlett



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Darth Marr - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, and darth marr is a chiss-pureblood hybrid, cipher nine oc and darth marr are in established arranged marriage in the Vathraki Legacy, cipher nine oc is a human-pureblood hybrid, female imperial agent - Freeform, hence the freeform tags, my cipher nine oc is part of the Vathraki Legacy, therefore she is a Force Blind child to the Empire's Wrath and a Dark Councillor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:15:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29002812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueScarlett/pseuds/RogueScarlett
Summary: A series of short snippets about ex-Cipher Nine Arisxara Vathraki and Darth Marr within The Vathraki Legacy. I write whenever I'm feeling inspired and motivated.
Relationships: Female Imperial Agent | Cipher Nine/Darth Marr
Kudos: 12





	1. Black Codex // Imperial Agent Epilogue

**Author's Note:**

> Setting: Sets during Chapter 3 epilogue where Arisxara handed the Black Codex to the only one person she trusts.  
> Warnings: my writings are just bad I know. small mention of self-harm.  
> Cross-posted from tumblr with photoset version: https://roguescarlett.tumblr.com/post/612310406931824640/imperial-intelligence-will-not-be-rebuilttheres

Aris was tired. It’s not that she was completely wiped out from her mission, the fatigue hailed from work exhaustion with various affiliations tip-toeing around to adverse her decisions. She couldn’t recall when was the last time she had slept--not counting the time she was unconscious from the torturous interrogation carried out by Hunter’s lackeys on Corellia.  
  
The temptation to crawl into a warm and soft bed was strong but Aris insisted on waiting for Marr to seek her out. She wrapped her arms to huddle for warmth with her red-gold eyes stared into the roaring fire to soak up the heat to brace for Ziost’s harsh winters. 

The Black Codex laid on the fireplace next to her glowing like a light source within the darkened room. It was a cursed thing to fight sweat, blood and tears as everyone vied for her hands to possess extensive knowledge far too dangerous to unleash upon the galaxy. Aris couldn’t trust anyone to gain their power-hungry hands on them.

Except for one person she trusted the most, and she’s waiting patiently for the arrival within the comfort of a safe haven. She had managed to convince the two Sith visitors to return empty-handed but a message to deliver to Marr with her words alone. It was a miracle her persuasion skills saved her hide from two sceptical Sith--but her warning was enough for them to lay down their lightsaber the instinct she mentioned she’s Lord Marr’s wife.  
  
The sounds of the doors opened with a click. Aris glanced over her shoulder to come face-to-face with Darth Marr entering the room and she breathed a relieved sigh.  
  
“Aris.”  
  
Stars, she hadn’t seen him for months, let alone seeing him through holovid calls during restless nights. It was a sight for her sore eyes, and hearing his voice with her name from the tip of his tongue was pleasant to hear.  
  
“Marr.” she spoke softly after finding her voice within the longingly silence, “You finally got my message.”  
  
Marr unclasped his lightsaber from his belt and set it aside onto the table, and approached to join her and sat on the floor by the fireplace savouring the quietness away from a working environment. Actions speak louder than words, he lifted a gloved hand up to reach for her face--but stopped mid-way as he watched Aris shyly look away from him, like as if she doesn’t want him to see her face.  
  
The room was dark, but in Marr’s eyes, he was quick to sense her nervousness. Not at him, but her thoughts swarmed with doubt and shame at herself like she doesn’t want him to cast his own eyes on her face. Did something happen during her mission, he wondered.  
  
Cautiously, he laid his gloved fingers onto her chin and brushed his delicate thumb on her skin with tenderness, then tilted her chin up to face his mask--he inspected for a better look upon her face to find the evidence of dark bruises filled with dried bloodied cuts. Marr clenched his other hand into a fist as his aura and emotions filled with rage at whoever did inflicted harm to her.  
  
Aris couldn’t tell the reaction behind his mask after a brief pause, and surely enough, her heart skipped a beat as his mask stared down at her, she can tell the rage trembled within his body. He was angry. Not at her, but at the person--Hunter--that was mostly responsible for her injuries.

“Who did this to you?” He asked her hoarsely and his anger barely restrained.  
  
“I...It’s no longer important.” Aris tried to brush off his concerns, her wavering hands shakily reached for the Black Codex, “...I got you something.”  
  
“I’m not interested in the Black Codex.” He reminded her, "What happened?"  
  
Aris sighed, “It's a long story.”  
  
“I’m listening.”  
  


* * *

  
“Imperial Intelligence will not be rebuilt.”

She had predicted this coming the moment she was recalled back to the HQ in the aftermath of her mission to the unique world of Voss as everyone she knew within the Intelligence transferred to their designated postings. To hear the development made her heart sank.

“And, what’s become of the Minister?” She asked quietly with a desperate hope for closure after enduring the tough trials to cease Star Cabal’s operations.

There was a hesitated pause, save for the comforting silence combined with the roaring wood fire within the office, her focus drifted away from the Black Codex that silently lay on the desk surface as her red-gold eyes descended onto the unmoving armoured Sith next to her. She doesn’t mind the silence with Marr being near to her, though she hated to be left in the dark.

“Marr?” Her soft voice reaches out to him.

She heard him heave a heavy sigh–he knew she wasn’t going to let this slide–then turned his attention onto her fully.

“The Minister acted unforgivably without our authorisation, but his fate is the least of your worries.”

Oh, that’s rather vague, she thought. Though, his tone alone insisted to spare her the grisly details planned in store for the Minister. It’s probably for the best. In response silently, she nodded understandably. There’s no point in pressing further for closure, as this was the only confirmation she would get from him. She wasn’t sure why the desperation for updates regarding the Minister’s fate–truthfully, she doesn’t want to let hers and Shara’s hard work and efforts laid in vain.

It’s been long ago in her chaotic line of work that she couldn’t recall whether or not the Minister had apologised for his involvement centered around the brainwash program onto her, but never did she learn to discover Jadus played a major role that forced Minister’s hands to authorise it in his name against her will.

“You _weren’t_ supposed to be on Corellia.”

Aris was taken aback with a baffled expression by this recent discovery. _I wasn’t?_ , she ponders confusedly, _How am I supposed to know this change of course? No, wait._

The realisation eventually dawns on her.

“Did you requested for my transfer placement personally rather than Lord Razer’s unit?”

“ _Yes_.”

_Oh. That was unexpected._

Admittedly, she couldn’t help herself to feel bad about this–he must’ve anticipated her arrival in the wake of Intelligence’s dismantlement, to have that thrill to reunite with each other robbed by Intelligence’s interference that dragged her away from him to operate a mission illegally.

It sets off butterflies within her stomach enamoured with warm sensations that made her feel emotional. He does care for her and her well-being.

Afterall, she was curious whether the Minister sent an agent from her diversion in her stead, or altered the transfer records prior to Corellia events. She couldn’t possibly imagine any agent sent in her name would tolerate Marr’s strictness for long, or to survive a couple of days in his command to call it quits.

“I’m _not_ angry.” He reassures her, “I know you’re unwillingly to let unresolved missions aside. You achieved what no one could’ve accomplished alone.”

She came all this way within her career to receive such high praise from a Sith that she never had before. It’s a start, but it meant a lot to her heart’s desires knowing that her skills were not wasted, and mouthed her thanks in response.

Their attention shifted to primarily focus onto the Black Codex.

“So.” Aris asks, abrupting the quietness, “What’s going to happen next? What will you do with the Codex?”

“The Dark Council already discussed your place in the new world of Sith Intelligence with the Black Codex and the conspirators’ secrets at our disposal.” Marr states, “I’ll oversee the operations temporarily until a new appointment ascends as the Head of Sith Intelligence. However, the decision is yours alone, should you wish to pursue it again.”

He is prioritising her options first to choose her promising paths, but the reality of doubt sunk in as each image of her dangerous encounters– _Ardun Kothe, Hunter, Watcher X’s voices through hallucinations and Jadus_ –all flashed before her mind that soured her mood.

Should she return to that life, what if anyone possessed this knowledge of her history to blackmail or control her? This isn’t what she wanted.

“Can I be honest with you?”

Marr gave her a nod granting her request to confide her mind. She took in a sharp breath thinking over her words carefully without saying anything wrong.

_Here goes nothing._

“As tempting this sounds, I’m not sure I really want to go through it again.”

She looks over to him as she continues on while he listens attentively to her.

“In all of my time for Intelligence… I suffered far worse than the others to endure the pain, manipulations, brainwash programming.“ She took a brief pause, taking her moment to keep her emotions at bay, "I can’t relive this without being constantly reminded of _what Jadus did to me_ , _how he deliberately planned his twisted ways to break me_ , how far did he go to _taint_ everything the Intelligence stood for.”

Her hand grasps onto her left wrist, gently running her timid fingers upon the thin lines of the scars that reminded her of the dark moments she suffered that pushed her limits to cut into her own skin harmfully.

“I **_don’t want_** to be Cipher Nine, or be remembered as her. All I wanted was to be _me_ again.”

And I can’t bear the thought of being apart from you either, she added in her mind with a dread for days to cope with separation anxiety.

"I understand.”

Aris stares with a surprised look, unsure whether he read her last thoughts or not. Has she spoken it out without noticing?

“Which is why I opted to discuss terms with Savitri regarding an alternative option.” He held a hand up to prevent her asking further, “That is a matter for another time.”

 _Oh, Mother._ Truthfully, she hasn’t seen her in months as their missions set them apart for long, she suspects her mother wanting to see her as soon as possible.

Then, Aris followed Marr’s gaze directed at the Black Codex. “Your profile will remain the same in the Empire’s database, but with the Black Codex can help purge any records of Cipher Nine’s associations. You will be a ghost of your own past, but you’ll forge new memories in your own name, and as my wife.”

Aris felt her heart skip a beat to hear him refer to her as his wife. Is that endearment she sensed through his voice? The feeling of the Force surrounded her with warmth and closeness that draws her to him–is this normal for her to feel giddy like this?

“Do you want to do the honours, or should I?” He asks her.

Aris shook her head, “No, I’ll do it.”

 _This is it_ , she thought, _there is no going back_. It had to be done by her action alone. Leaning forward to the terminal that connected with the Codex, her fingers tapping away on the keys with no hesitation to purge her existence from Cipher Nine’s identity.

No more blackmail, no more control.

“…Marr?” Her voice trails off, observing the screen slowly erasing the records one by one, “Am I doing the right thing?”

“Given the circumstances and your traumatic experiences–then yes, you’re doing the right thing.”

A terminal beep alerted their attention, as the two glance over the screen with ’ _Data Purge Completed_ ’ flashing in red glowing letters. She was no longer Cipher Nine, but a ghost of her own past.

“How do you feel?”

Aris turns from the screen to the masked face beside her, “Like a whole weight finally lifted off my shoulders.”

She said this with a heartfelt smile spread across her lip, feeling overwhelmed with emotions as her eyes waters. She couldn’t even begin to describe how relieved she is to be free from the nightmare. Without thinking, she tiptoed to stand tall with her face an inch close to his mask, her timid hands grasped onto the chestplate as a hold to steady her balance. She leans in to rest her forehead against his mask with closed eyes, impersonating how her father often expresses his affections, and love, to his spouses through forehead touches without the need to remove his own mask.

Marr didn’t flinch, or move, from his position to allow her this physical contact, though, he is intrigued with curiosity by this forehead touch. Slowly, he indulged her with an embrace in his strong arms.

" _ **Welcome home, Aris**_." 


	2. Pairing Prompt: Guardian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as part of the pairing prompt requested by a friend.

Another night, another bad dream.

Marriage life had prepared Marr for this--the way she jolted awake and alerted had given away the implication on what triggered her dream in a not pleasant way. He doesn’t outright advise her to confide in him about the dreams--he knew enough about Cipher Nine to fathom what she had endured. He had her home, safe and away from Imperial Intelligence, which is all that matters to him.

He reached a hand out to rest the palm on her bare shoulder carefully with a gentle rub of his fingers onto her skin. Aris did not stiften upon his touch and instead, she leaned in with a comforted hum that helped relax her trembling body.

“Did I wake you up?” Aris asked with a concerned look, she glanced over her shoulder to Marr laying on the bed beside her.

The chiss hybrid shook his head, his fingers massaged her shoulder, “No. You have not.”

“Ok.” Aris smiled weakly, rattled by Kaas lightning flashed outside that disturbed her desire to get some sleep, “Well, I’m about to get some coffee…”

His hand gripped gently on her shoulder that prevented her from climbing out of the bed and she turned to face him with a concerned look.

“ _Don’t_.”

“But--”

Her voice was cut off the second his fingers were on her soft lips to hush her. She knew he wasn’t going to sit by and allow her to consume caffeine at this late hour, then he cupped her cheek for her to melt into his touch briefly before he shifted to open his arms out beckoning for her.

Better than caffeine, she thought.

Aris leaned into the welcoming arms and snuggled beneath the silk blankets with one hand tenderly stroking her arm and the other massaged her scalp through the locks of her hair. Her face nestled gently into the Sith's chest with her ear pressed against the torso and listened to the still hum of his heartbeat that soothed her into a slumber.

"I could get used to this." She sighed coherently as the warm embrace caused her tired eyelids to drop and her delicate fingers traced the sensitive battle scars on his chest, "You're like **_a teddy bear guarding me_** from the bad monsters and catching bad dreams in the middle of the night."

Marr hummed quietly savouring the embrace and felt her lips curled into a smile against his skin. There was a brief moment of paused silence between the two, until Marr registered what Aris had said to him.

"Wait..." Marr blinked skeptically, "I'm **_a what?_** "

Aris failed to stifle a giggle.


	3. Prompt: laying a gentle kiss to the back of the other’s hand.

They managed to sneak away from the Sith party to a secluded courtyard under the Ziosti moonlight with a change of scenery filled with vibrant nature and a cool breeze swept upon them. The sound of eerie silence within the courtyard are a welcoming blessing of peace and quiet to their ears–just as how Marr would’ve liked for his preference. Aris felt like a teenager girl who snuck out at bedtime against her curfew the moment Marr took her away as soon Ravage prepared his never-ending speech much to everyone’s annoyance.  
  
Aris observed the scenery with interest as it reminded of her the garden she explored with her sister when they were young children. She saw a gloved hand extended out in her direction from the corner of her eye. She turned to face the masked warlord, who stood patiently and beckoned for her attention, she approached towards him to lay her hand into his own to take. His fingers curled around her delicate fingers, with slow strokes over the jewel wedding ring, and lifted the back of her hand to where his lips are beneath the mask like a kiss. Aris felt waves of love and endearment through the Force bond she shared with her husband. The sensation alone made her heart skip a beat.  
  
Marr finally broke the silence, “May I have the pleasure for a dance with you, my lady?”   
  
His proposal made her breath hitched in response. Is this the reason he escorted her away from the speeches for? She couldn’t stop smiling– _and stars_ –she knew the sight of her own smile would make his knees _go weak_.  
  
“ _Darth Marr_ , did you purposedly snuck me out to _seduce me_?”

“I do recall I owned you a dance, remember?” He chuckled in response.  
  
“That you do." She smiled, "You kept to your promise.”  
  
Aris wrapped her fingers around Marr’s gloved fingers to accept his request, and Marr gently pulled her close to him in an embrace with their hands interlocked together. Then, the two began to move together into a long-awaited slow dance they’ve yearned within the courtyard surrounded with faint quietness and the two never took their eyes off each other.   
  
“We haven’t had a chance to do this for our wedding due to circumstances.” Marr spoke softly, his gloved thumb rubbed her fingers with tenderness, “I want for us to make amends for what we missed out on.”  
  
Aris hummed, “Then we'll better make the _most of it_ before anyone finds out we’re gone.”  
  
“ _Agreed._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork to this writing: https://the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond.tumblr.com/post/630356936172404737/commission-for-the-lovely-roguescarlett-of-their


End file.
